Introduction

Rice terraces are hilly or mountainous slopes claimed from nature for cultivation, usually by minority peoples. Yunhe Rice Terraces, the largest terrace field in eastern China, have been nourishing the local people for more than 1, 000 years. Together with Yuanyang Rice Terraces in Yunnan, Longji Rice Terrace in Guilin, the Yunhe Rice Terraces have a reputation as “one of the most beautiful terraces in China”.

Located in Lishui City, Zhejiang Province, the entire area of the Yunhe Terraces is 51 square kilometers (20 square miles), covering mountains, hills, and valleys. The Yunhe Terraces is situated at an altitude between 200 to 1,400 meters with the vertical heights around 1,200 meters. Every hill has about 700 or so terraces carved into it, making for amazing and spectacular scenery. The great views are especially enchanting during rainy days, when steam from river water floats around the terraces – a natural view so mysterious and fascinating that you may be left feeling addicted to it.

The landscape of rice terraces – low hanging clouds, quaint villages, thick bamboo forests, gurgling streams and soothing waterfalls- varies throughout the year but is consistently an ideal for photography. Nowadays, Yunhe Rice Terraces have become a hot destination for taking photos, and many amateur and pros favor not only the unique natural view of terraced fields but also the traditional Chinese countryside life and minority people’s culture. The local people living here are mostly of the She ethnic group, which is a minority with a very small population in China. When traveling here, visitors can learn and experience the culture and customs of the ethnic group.